Singapore Changi airport - 'Ambassador Transit Hotel' - any experiences???

[mangoss]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer to this off the top of their head...

I'm arriving at Changi airport on QF5 on 31 March 2011, 2155hrs. From what I can gather off the Qantas website, it arrives at Terminal 1.

Leaving the next morning on JQ to Vietnam at 0720 hrs, so not much time to waste, and want to have brekkie in the QC before I head off.

So it's not worth my spending a lot on a hotel in town, and the 'Ambassador Transit Hotel' inside Changi Airport looks like a good deal - 6 hours for $68 SGD.

However - the hotel in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 is located before immigration. Luggage pick up is AFTER immigration.

Ambassador Transit Hotel

Just wondering - if the hotel is located before immigration and they dont want you to go through immigration, how do you get your luggage?

One of my reasons for stopping at Changi is to go through my 32 kg suitcase for the UK 2 year move, decide what I dont need for my Asia travels, and store it at Changi for a month till I return and forward on to LHR.

Has anyone successfully done this? Or is it a case that you can only stay at the hotel in Terminal 3 if you want your luggage? Or can that not be achieved either?

Website states: PLEASE DO NOT CLEAR IMMIGRATION / CUSTOMS AS AMBASSADOR TRANSIT HOTELS ARE SITUATED ON LEVEL 3 WITHIN THE TRANSIT MALL.

Ive contacted them with no answer thus far.

Who knew travelling has become so complex!! lol

Thanks for any responses...

Mandy :mrgreen:

 

[mangoss]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer to this off the top of their head...

I'm arriving at Changi airport on QF5 on 31 March 2011, 2155hrs. From what I can gather off the Qantas website, it arrives at Terminal 1.

Leaving the next morning on JQ to Vietnam at 0720 hrs, so not much time to waste, and want to have brekkie in the QC before I head off.

So it's not worth my spending a lot on a hotel in town, and the 'Ambassador Transit Hotel' inside Changi Airport looks like a good deal - 6 hours for $68 SGD.

However - the hotel in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 is located before immigration. Luggage pick up is AFTER immigration.

Ambassador Transit Hotel

Just wondering - if the hotel is located before immigration and they dont want you to go through immigration, how do you get your luggage?

One of my reasons for stopping at Changi is to go through my 32 kg suitcase for the UK 2 year move, decide what I dont need for my Asia travels, and store it at Changi for a month till I return and forward on to LHR.

Has anyone successfully done this? Or is it a case that you can only stay at the hotel in Terminal 3 if you want your luggage? Or can that not be achieved either?

Website states: PLEASE DO NOT CLEAR IMMIGRATION / CUSTOMS AS AMBASSADOR TRANSIT HOTELS ARE SITUATED ON LEVEL 3 WITHIN THE TRANSIT MALL.

Ive contacted them with no answer thus far.

Who knew travelling has become so complex!! lol

Thanks for any responses...

Mandy :mrgreen:

Hi, sorry further to this - does anyone know where in the airport the long-term luggage storage is? Is it a case that I would have to go through immigration anyway in order to store my luggage? Forgive my ignorance if this is an obvious answer, but its outside my experience

Also if anyone has stayed in the hotel in Terminal 3, is it ok, and is it a far distance from Term 1?

Thanks!

 

[JohnK]

All 3 terminals in SIN are within walking distance of one another. There is also a skytrain that stops in 2 different parts of each terminal.

In answer to your question visit transit hotel in Terminal 1 and let your luggage go through to the keeper. Then in the morning clear immigration and go to unclaimed/'lost' luggage and collect your bags. Then proceed to terminal 3 for your next flight.

I would leave the luggage in storage where your LHR flight will depart from which will be Terminal 1. Not sure about where the left luggage is located but it should be able to be found on the Singapore airport website. I think Mal posted a link for me on an AFF thread when I was looking at this sometime last year.

 

[mangoss]

All 3 terminals in SIN are within walking distance of one another. There is also a skytrain that stops in 2 different parts of each terminal.

In answer to your question visit transit hotel in Terminal 1 and let your luggage go through to the keeper. Then in the morning clear immigration and go to unclaimed/'lost' luggage and collect your bags. Then proceed to terminal 3 for your next flight.

I would leave the luggage in storage where your LHR flight will depart from which will be Terminal 1. Not sure about where the left luggage is located but it should be able to be found on the Singapore airport website. I think Mal posted a link for me on an AFF thread when I was looking at this sometime last year.

Thanks again JohnK - you are the man!

I've done a bit more research, and my only concern is the timing issue - got an early connecting flight, have to go through customs etc first and am worried about a) what happens if my luggage is lost, as another person on TripAdvisor reported after using exactly this strategy (which does seem common), or b) What time does the lost baggage claim open, and could I possibly be delayed in trying to recover it - whilst also having to go through my bag to take out what I dont need, then store it, then do Customs, QC lounge, etc etc

Logistically its looking a little tight...but not impossible....is there no way to go through immigration, get my bag, then stay at the Term 3 hotel? :?: Seems silly that there are no options for those who do need their suitcase.

Another option - which might be pushing my luck :mrgreen: is staying at the Crowne Hotel Changi Airport, which is exxy - and asking if they would mind my suitcase in their storage room for 25 days. Its going to cost $118 or thereabouts for me to store it at Changi airport...so might be worth trying??! Has anyone had luck with this strategy?

I've emailed them, awaiting response...I've offered to book a stay upon my return before I head to London.

Will keep thinking of options! Thanks for your feedback

 

[JohnK]

The left luggage is SIN is open all night. Usually they ask for boarding pass and sometimes the ability to identify luggage. I have done this twice now in the last 3+ months (once at ~4:00am and once ~5:30am) and did not have any issues. Just follow the signs after immigration.

Now I try to avoid reading too much into what is said on Tripadvisor but I would have thought SIN would be one of the safest places in the world to leave luggage especially with all the military type security around. I could be wrong though.

I was also under the impression that all 3 transit hotels were airside but I have not looked for a while. But as you said there is nothing wrong with collecting luggage first, leave it at left luggage and then head off to terminal 3.

 

[thewinchester]

I'm arriving at Changi airport on QF5 on 31 March 2011, 2155hrs. From what I can gather off the Qantas website, it arrives at Terminal 1.

Leaving the next morning on JQ to Vietnam at 0720 hrs, so not much time to waste, and want to have brekkie in the QC before I head off.

<snip>

However - the hotel in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 is located before immigration. Luggage pick up is AFTER immigration.

Just wondering - if the hotel is located before immigration and they dont want you to go through immigration, how do you get your luggage?

Mandy,

Short answer - no need to collect your luggage or let it go through to the keeper in SIN.

QF will interline your baggage through to your JQ International flight (see Question 11) and you can go straight to the transit hotel.

If your flights are not booked on the same itinerary - when checking in for QF5 you must ask them to interline & through-check to your Jetstar flight. Make sure to present a copy of your Jetstar booking to hand so they can make this happen.

When completed, your bags will be checked all the way through to Vietnam and you will receive boarding passes for both the QF and JQ (3K/VF) flights.

From the Industry sales site;

Jetstar International Flights


Full bag connectivity and passenger check-in


QF International to JQ International v.v.
QF Domestic to JQ International v.v.


Baggage connectivity and passenger through check-in is available for customers connecting from/to Qantas domestic and international flights to/from Jetstar international flights. Passengers will receive boarding passes for both sectors at commencement of journey. This is available for both JQ marketed and QF codeshare customers.


Examples:


LHR (QF) SIN (QF*JQ^) DRW (QF*JQ^) CNS or
LHR (QF) SIN (JQ) DRW (JQ) CNS
Customers connecting from Qantas operated London Singapore flight to Jetstar's Singapore Darwin Cairns flights, will have their bags through checked and boarding passes provided for the whole journey.


CHC (JQ) SYD (QF) SIN
Customers connecting from Jetstar operated Christchurch - Sydney flight to Qantas operated Sydney - Singapore flight will have their bags through checked and boarding passes provided for the whole journey.


CBR (QF) SYD (JQ) SGN
Customers connecting from Qantas domestic flights to Jetstar operated International flights will have their bags through checked and boarding passes provided for the whole journey.

I think JohnK might have been asleep when he responded to this question

 

[moa999]

Other notes to make is that the SIN QF lounges don't open till 6.30am, and given the Singapore pens you won't have much time particularly if the 3K flight departs from a far D gate.

thewinchester - appears the OP wants to store luggage at SIN

On the Left Luggage strategy--
It may be possible to get JQ staff at MEL (or QF) or at SIN on arrival to print you your onward boarding pass which would let you get back airside.
I have generally found JQ staff being generous with check-in times if you only have carry-on, if you are check-in they will be strict.

3K has a 10pm Macau departure and 0:05am Manilla so check-in counters at row/3/4 should be open till 11pm

 

[JohnK]

I think JohnK might have been asleep when he responded to this question

I was actually wide awake when I posted!

One of my reasons for stopping at Changi is to go through my 32 kg suitcase for the UK 2 year move, decide what I dont need for my Asia travels, and store it at Changi for a month till I return and forward on to LHR.

The OP wants to store some luggage....

 

[mangoss]

Mandy,

Short answer - no need to collect your luggage or let it go through to the keeper in SIN.

QF will interline your baggage through to your JQ International flight (see Question 11) and you can go straight to the transit hotel.

If your flights are not booked on the same itinerary - when checking in for QF5 you must ask them to interline & through-check to your Jetstar flight. Make sure to present a copy of your Jetstar booking to hand so they can make this happen.

When completed, your bags will be checked all the way through to Vietnam and you will receive boarding passes for both the QF and JQ (3K/VF) flights.

From the Industry sales site;



I think JohnK might have been asleep when he responded to this question

Ah no - JohnK wasn't asleep!

I DON'T want my bag to go to Vietnam - as stated I am going to London one way a few weeks later, and want to leave my large suitcase at Singapore airport and take a small bag only for my few weeks travel around Asia, before I return to Singapore and get on a SING-LHR Qantas flight.

The flights are not on the same itinerary.

I must access my luggage before it goes to JQ, as I need to go through it and pick out what I do and don't need, and there are items I will need to check from my large to small bag that I cannot take on in hand luggage on the aircraft.

It seems my only option is to do what JohnK has recommended - let the bags go to lost luggage, retrieve them in the morn, see what I need, store what I dont, then go through immigration and check small bag onto JQ.

 

[mangoss]

I was actually wide awake when I posted!


The OP wants to store some luggage....

You are absolutely right JohnK! I just replied to this actually. Thanks for your advice on getting me out of (another) travel jam :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

 

[mangoss]

Other notes to make is that the SIN QF lounges don't open till 6.30am, and given the Singapore pens you won't have much time particularly if the 3K flight departs from a far D gate.

thewinchester - appears the OP wants to store luggage at SIN

On the Left Luggage strategy--
It may be possible to get JQ staff at MEL (or QF) or at SIN on arrival to print you your onward boarding pass which would let you get back airside.
I have generally found JQ staff being generous with check-in times if you only have carry-on, if you are check-in they will be strict.

3K has a 10pm Macau departure and 0:05am Manilla so check-in counters at row/3/4 should be open till 11pm

Hey Moa, thanks for your advice! This sounds like an interesting strategy - I am very, very new to all this, so excuse me if I sound a little off track - but is this what you are suggesting:

1. Arrive at SIN, go through immigrations and get luggage.
2. Work out what to store etc - store remainder luggage in basement Term 1
3. Go to JQ DEPARTURES counter check in (is this in Term 1??) and request early boarding pass for next day. I am going to be checking in luggage so this might be a problem...
4. Then use this early board pass to go airside and back to the hotel inside the departure area.

When would I pass through immigration, etc in all this? Do you know if the luggage storage is before or after immigration? Will they let you pass through immigration if your ticket is not until the next day? I would be passing through around 11pm by estimations.

Also, would I be able to get my early boarding pass for JQ from Sydney as that's where Im departing from, or is it best to only get it when checking in my JQ luggage at SIN?



This is the email that the hotel has just sent me (no mention that Term 3 is not airside :-| ):

"Please be informed that you MUST NOT clear immigration after arrival of aircraft.
Checked-in luggage will be held at Lost and Found for safe-keeping.
Hand-carry luggage for clothing is advisable.
After your stay then you clear immigration, retrieve your luggage and check-in Jetstar".



Also with the QC at SIN, Im guessing it is after immigration....how early can I check in so I can get there at 6.30 and at least get 45mins out of it? :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

Thanks for your help! This might save me a bit of money and time...

Mandy

 

[JohnK]

You are absolutely right JohnK! I just replied to this actually. Thanks for your advice on getting me out of (another) travel jam :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

Think nothing of it. It is an absolute pleasure to help and hopefully some of my travel experiences are useful to others. I was glad I had the master, AFF member tanewi, to take me under his wings on first trip to SE Asia in 2003 and I vowed to be able to help as many people as possible.

While moa999 has provided some great advice I would still go with the original plan and that is to collect luggage in morning. The only problem I can see with moa999's reommendation is that you may not be able to do early check-in after arrival late at night, for various reasons which are not all obvious to me right now, and then you are stuck landside until the check-in opens in the morning.

Also with the QC at SIN, Im guessing it is after immigration....how early can I check in so I can get there at 6.30 and at least get 45mins out of it? :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

Most if not all lounges in SIN are airside.

Work onthe strategy that Check-in is likely to open 2-3 hours before scheduled departure and usually it takes <10 minutes to clear immigation and another couple of minutes to get to Qantas Lounge.

 

[thewinchester]

Looks like I was the one who was asleep. I'll go and sit in the corner

 

[mangoss]

Looks like I was the one who was asleep. I'll go and sit in the corner

lol its ok! I posed a faitly convoluted question, but am grateful for all advice! :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen: Learning so much on this site, its really assisting me in organising a smooth trip

Thanks

 

[JohnK]

Looks like I was the one who was asleep. I'll go and sit in the corner

Not to worry. It was easy to miss that mangoss was going to store luggage but I was aware of it already from another thread earlier.

The information you provided was quite handy as we have had quite a few questions recently about QF->3K/VF transfers and vv at SIN airport.

 

[moa999]

1. Arrive at SIN, go through immigrations and get luggage.
2. Work out what to store etc - store remainder luggage in basement Term 1
3. Go to JQ DEPARTURES counter check in (is this in Term 1??) and request early boarding pass for next day. I am going to be checking in luggage so this might be a problem...
4. Then use this early board pass to go airside and back to the hotel inside the departure area.

When would I pass through immigration, etc in all this? Do you know if the luggage storage is before or after immigration? Will they let you pass through immigration if your ticket is not until the next day? I would be passing through around 11pm by estimations.

Also, would I be able to get my early boarding pass for JQ from Sydney as that's where Im departing from, or is it best to only get it when checking in my JQ luggage at SIN?

That was what I was thinking though have you have checked luggage for the 2nd flight I don't think it would be possible unless you manage to get a boarding pass in SYD.

Singapore airport layout is:
Airside
Immigration counters
Baggage collection
Exit / Customs (although hardly ever screened)

All the transit hotels are Airside, although you can transfer airside between each of the three terminals to get around.

Looks like letting the original checked luggage go through to the Lost and Found is the only solution.